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Can Justin Trudeau's Beard Overturn a Century of Politics? – The Wall Street Journal

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To beard or not to beard: that is the question for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.



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Photo Illustration: WSJ; Photos: REUTERS; AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Canadian Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau

has portrayed himself as a champion of women’s rights, the environment and refugees, with varying degrees of success.

He is now becoming the champion, perhaps unwittingly, of another cause: making politics safe for bearded men.

Mr. Trudeau first won power in 2015 and secured a second mandate in a vote last year, all while maintaining a clean-shaven look. After a 16-day holiday over Christmas and New Year’s in Costa Rica, the 48-year-old Canadian leader returned to work with a trimmed, salt-and-pepper beard.

Hair apparent

“I thought this was a vacation beard that would be gone in a couple of weeks when the novelty wore off. But it has stuck around,” said

Ian Capstick,

a former political aide in Ottawa and now a Montreal-based communications and image consultant.

Pundits have tried to find a deeper meaning in the new look. Perhaps, they said, the beard meant a reserved, reflective tone was in the offing from Mr. Trudeau, following a scandal-plagued year that damaged his personal popularity and reputation, and nearly cost him re-election.

Image consultants and historians with an interest in everything hirsute say they will watch Mr. Trudeau for clues that voters in North America are ready to accept candidates for the highest office who put their best shaggy face forward.

“My sense is that, in light of recent history and the larger global collapse of political norms, beards no longer pose a meaningful obstacle to politicians’ electoral hopes,” said

Sean Trainor,

a professor at the University of Florida who has studied and written about facial hair—including a paper on

Josephine Clofullia,

a bearded lady who toured the U.S. in the 1850s.

Mr. Trudeau hasn’t talked about his new look, and a spokeswoman declined to comment on a series of questions, among them whether the beard was tested on focus groups. He is running a minority government, so in theory he could hit the campaign trail wearing a beard at any time should he lose a vote in the legislature. Veteran Ottawa observers suggest election talk might ramp up in earnest starting in 2021.

Share Your Thoughts

Should it stay or should it go? Join the discussion below.

Beards have been largely missing from the faces of Western-world government leaders or heads of states for some time. A Canadian prime minister last donned a beard in the late 19th century. It’s been nearly that long in Britain, after Lord Salisbury left office in 1902.

In the U.S.,

Abraham Lincoln

famously sported a beard, although some historians contend what Lincoln actually wore should be called “whiskers,” since his beard was considered short for the time period and he had no mustache. The mustachioed

William Howard Taft,

just before World War I, was the last American president with facial hair while in office.

In other parts of the world, the beard has posed no barrier to political success in modern times. India and Brazil elected

Narendra Modi

and

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,

respectively, to more than one term. In Spain, the bearded

Mariano Rajoy

ruled between 2011 and 2018. His beard helped mask facial scars from a serious car accident in the late 1970s.

In North America, the rarity of bearded leaders coincided with a trend away from facial hair in the early 20th century, fueled by the invention of the safety razor and a warning from doctors that beards were a haven for microbes. Previously, physicians believed beards helped protect the face from intense sun and wind, said

Christopher Oldstone-Moore.

“A shaved face was part of the uniform, both clean and regular,” said Mr. Oldstone-Moore, a senior lecturer of history at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and the author of a bible on beards titled, “Of Beards and Men.”

Mr. Trudeau also sported facial hair in 2011.



Photo:

Chris Wattie/REUTERS

But beards are back in fashion, and Mr. Trudeau is known for his relative youth and style.

“The beard gives him a lot of gravitas,” said Laura Peck, a partner at Ottawa-based TransformLeaders.ca, which offers communications training for corporate executives and politicians. “It looks good on him.”

For politicians, risk aversion is also a factor. “Voters are cognitive misers looking for shortcuts to evaluate candidates,” researchers at Oklahoma State University wrote in a 2015 paper on facial hair and politics. “Appearance can affect voters’ perceptions of candidates’ beliefs and issue positions.” Their research, which incorporated surveys of students about their impressions of Congress members with and without facial hair, indicated politicians with either a mustache or a beard are seen as more masculine, as well as more conservative on feminist issues.

Mr. Oldstone-Moore argued in his book

Harry Truman’s

upset win in the 1948 presidential election could be linked to

Thomas Dewey’s

mustache, based on anecdotal evidence collected at the time. Dewey even joked to a group of boy scouts in 1950 about how the hair above his lip cost him votes. “No major candidate for the presidency has dared flaunt even a hint of facial hair since that time,” Mr. Oldstone-Moore wrote.

Thomas Dewey with Harry Truman at an event during the presidential campaign in 1948. Dewey would later joke he lost votes because of his mustache.



Photo:

Corbis/Getty Images

Mr. Trudeau dabbled in facial hair before becoming Liberal Party leader and subsequently prime minister. As late as 2011, he donned a variant of a Van Dyke beard, named after a Flemish painter and popularized by

Vladimir Lenin

and

Johnny Depp.

Last year, Mr. Trudeau and his aides were at the center of a political scandal about alleged political interference in a criminal prosecution, and he was also forced to issue apologies during the election campaign after images emerged of him wearing blackface and brownface.

“I think the beard helps him to affirm both to himself and others his personal resilience,” Mr. Oldstone-Moore said. “He may be saying that he is here to stay, that he is tough and that he will not be cowed by his opponents.”

Mr. Capstick, the image consultant and an occasional beard wearer himself, said he is skeptical about attaching any underlying motive to Mr. Trudeau’s new-look face. He said Mr. Trudeau’s beard “makes him look older. If that was the intention, then it worked.”

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

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Liberals win majority in New Brunswick election

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New Brunswick voters have elected a Liberal majority government, tossing out the incumbent Progressive Conservatives after six years in power and handing the reins to the first woman ever to lead the province. Liberal Leader Susan Holt spent much of the campaign rolling out proposed fixes for a health-care system racked by a doctor shortage, overcrowded emergency rooms and long wait-times. She promised to open 30 community health clinics across the province by 2028. (Oct. 22, 2024)

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Susan Holt Breaks the Glass Ceiling in New Brunswick Politics

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Susan Holt has made history in New Brunswick by becoming the first woman to serve as the leader of the province’s Liberal Party, a significant milestone in the province’s political landscape. Holt’s leadership victory signals a new era of representation, gender equality, and change in the region, which has long been dominated by male politicians.

Holt’s journey to the top has been one of perseverance and dedication. Before entering politics, she built a distinguished career in the private sector, where she held numerous leadership positions. Her experience in business development and public policy has equipped her with the skills needed to navigate the complex world of politics.

In a province where women have historically been underrepresented in politics, Holt’s election represents a watershed moment. Women’s involvement in leadership roles has been steadily increasing nationwide, but New Brunswick, like many parts of Canada, has seen slower progress in achieving gender parity. Holt’s rise to the top of the Liberal Party not only shatters a glass ceiling but also serves as an inspiration for future generations of women aiming for political leadership.

As the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, Holt has laid out a vision of inclusivity and progress. Her policies focus on economic development, healthcare reform, environmental sustainability, and addressing social issues that have plagued the province. She has also emphasized the importance of transparent governance and creating opportunities for underrepresented communities, making her platform both modern and forward-thinking.

Holt’s leadership arrives at a time when many voters are calling for change, especially in the face of challenges like economic uncertainty and the need for healthcare improvements. She aims to bring fresh ideas to tackle these issues while ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their background, have a voice in government decisions.

Susan Holt joins the ranks of other trailblazing women across Canada who have led provincial parties and governments. Women like former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne have paved the way, and now Holt is contributing to this growing legacy of female political leadership in Canada.

Her achievement highlights not only the growing number of women entering politics but also the demand for leaders who can bring diverse perspectives to the table. In a field often dominated by entrenched traditions, Holt’s election is a step toward a more inclusive and representative political landscape in New Brunswick.

Holt’s leadership signals a broader shift in Canadian politics, where more women and diverse voices are gaining prominence. For young women across the country, her rise serves as a powerful reminder that leadership roles are within reach, even in traditionally male-dominated spheres.

With her election, Susan Holt has proven that perseverance, skill, and a vision for change can break even the toughest barriers. Her leadership will not only reshape New Brunswick’s political future but also inspire others across Canada to pursue leadership positions and continue to challenge the status quo.

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Moe and Beck hold campaign events today, as parties urge early voting

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NDP Leader Carla Beck has two planned campaign events today, starting the day with an availability in Moose Jaw and then later this evening attending an event in the capital with the Regina Medical Staff Association.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe, meanwhile, will speak in Prince Albert at the start of Voting Week in the province.

Saskatchewan residents can vote for five days starting today in the lead-up to next week’s provincial election, although polls won’t be open Sunday.

The NDP and the Saskatchewan Party are urging voters to cast their ballots early.

Voters can find their polling stations on their information cards or by visiting the Elections Saskatchewan website.

Chief electoral officer Michael Boda says there are about 810,000 registered voters in Saskatchewan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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